Development
facilitate the development of sth, inhibit the development of sth,
arrest the development of sth, accompany sth
lag behind, make improvements, forge ahead, has improved beyond all recognition
be an instrument of social change, bring sth to a standstill, be unchanged
there has been a shift in..., shift emphasis/attention/focus from...to...
the economic swings of boom and slump, economic recession
have far-reaching effects, ripple effect, chain reaction
knowledge economy, leisure industry
relentless urbanisation, the influx of
central business district, pedestrian zone, car-free zone, noisy and smoggy
be made/rendered obsolete by sth, be displaced by sth
birth rate, population ageing
overcrowded, population density
be old-fashioned, avant-garde
at this stage, at present, at this point, a critical juncture
sth has ushered in..., has fundamentally changed sth, be a milestone
sth is no longer a necessity, sth remains a necessity
be counterproductive, cause as many problems as sth solves
not etched/carved in stone, not set in stone
an age-old problem, an enduring problem
pose a problem for s b, pose a threat to sth
thriving economy, sluggish economy